Reid Me

Tales of a Food Writer...but not the kind you're thinking. I am a food writer, but not the kind that gets all-star treatment in the restaurants, who is recognized by name or by Facebook profile. I am not the kind that has catchy by-lines or who happens to get picked as a judge on a television food show. That is not my gig. I am however, the kind of food writer who could tell you whether or not your avocado tree is self-fertile (true story), or who could tell you the nutritional benefits of a certain fruit or root vegetable. I could tell you the scientific name for pretty much any of the foods on my counter right now, and I could tell you how they would benefit your body. I am a content writer for Specialty Produce . I find different produce items everywhere! Recently, I was told by none other than award-winning Executive Chef Bernard Guillas of San Diego's Marine Room restaurant, that the work I do is extremely important and that I am helping thousands of people with...

Ah, the pictures in the cookbooks can be so deceiving and they really truly are either "staged" or photo shopped...I swear.  My cooking never turns out like the pictures.  Most of my dishes come out looking like limp versions of the photos.  However, I am getting better at the whole presentation thing. Here is the photo from the cookbook:     Here is my finished product:   So, lighting aside, and minus the fancy-schmancy plates, they look pretty similar.  Tasted pretty darn good too.  I am no gourmand and I don't have any technique but I can say that I'm trying to make more tasty meals that my kids will eat.  I am not Martha Stewart or even Rachel Ray...just a mom with a mission - to make sure my kids grow up healthy, eating right and getting the best variety of foods possible.  We are capable of making our children well-rounded eaters and lovers of all kinds of food.  "Food explorers" is what my mom always called us.  We ...

I must admit, I've always loved food.  Eating food is and has been one of my favorite pastimes.  Now, cooking the food, not so much.  Which is why the running joke is "That's why I married a chef!"  I have always been a better baker than a cook.  I make a mean spaghetti and meatballs and I've gotten quite good at making quiche; but still, my abilities as a honest-to-goodness cook are lacking. No wheat, oats, barley, gluten or rye! To make matters more interesting, I am gluten-intolerant.  I was born this way, as was my brother.  It wasn't until after my brother was born and had a more severe reaction that my mother realized I had the same intolerance.  For quite some time in my adolescence I was able to tolerate some gluten and didn't follow a gluten-free diet at all.  Needless to say, I probably should have.  After my son was born I had the hardest time with my gut.  I had to call in sick to work because I was in so much pain...